As a photographer, I’ve been capturing images of our beautiful Whidbey Island landscapes for years, documenting the idyllic environment we live in. We truly are blessed to live in such a wonderful place.

Lately I’ve realized the something is missing - the people. After all, it’s the inhabitants of this island that make it come alive and turn it into something special. The people who live and work here, or even just visit briefly, give our town a special sense of place and make it what it is.

To that end, I’m working on a special project to showcase BOTH the spectacular landscapes and the people who are so much a part of it. My goal is to create a photo series that captures a moment in time here in this historic community we call home.This may be published in book form at some point in the future - I'm honestly not clear on that goal yet.

Now, as a landscape photographer, I’m most comfortable making images of static landscapes and working with available natural light. But this project calls for something more - a different style of photography called Environmental Portraiture. This means capturing the essence of the individual in a portrait, but also including the environment around them. I’ve been working on learning this new (to me) art form, and one of the reasons I’ve taken on this project is to practice these new lighting and planning skills.

If you're willing to pose for a portrait, hit the "volunteer now" button. It costs you nothing but an hour or so of your time, and in exchange I'll give you:

1. A free 8 x 12 print from our session

2. 3-5 watermarked JPEGs you can share on social media or online

3. And of course my gratitude for your help.

Requirements: Not much really. I will need you to sign a standard model release acknowledging that I may use your image online or in print for this project, and I'll ask you to tell me a bit about yourself so we can plan a shoot that reflects who YOU are and your connection to Whidbey Island.